87,000 at risk of utility shut-offs as Oregon ends COVID ban

An electric light bulb is shown here.

 FILE

Lights out is looming for tens of thousands of Oregonians who are behind on their utility bills.

It's been more than a year since the Oregon Public Utility Commission temporarily suspended the state's power and natural gas utilities from shut-offs due to nonpayment — citing the economic uncertainty spurred by the onrush of the novel coronavirus.